How much carbon dioxide is produced when different fuels are burned?
Different fuels emit different amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) in relation to the energy they produce when burned. To analyze emissions across fuels, compare the amount of CO2 emitted per unit of energy output or heat content. The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes emissions coefficients for CO2 by type of fuel per unit of volume or mass and per million British thermal units.
The amount of CO2 produced when a fuel is burned is a function of the carbon content of the fuel. The heat content, or the amount of energy produced when a fuel is burned, is mainly determined by the carbon (C) and hydrogen (H) content of the fuel. Heat is produced when C and H combine with oxygen (O) during combustion. Natural gas is primarily methane (CH4), which has a higher energy content compared to other fuels, and thus, it has lower CO2 emissions relative to its energy content. Water and various elements, such as sulfur and noncombustible elements, reduce the heating value of a fuel and increase CO2 emissions per unit of heat content.
Learn more:
What are the greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions factors for fuels and electricity?
Why do carbon dioxide emissions weigh more than the original fuel?
Last updated: July 10, 2024.
Other FAQs about Oil/Petroleum
- When was the last refinery built in the United States?
- Does EIA have data on the movement (transport) of crude oil, biofuels, petroleum products, and propane by rail?
- What do I pay for in a gallon of gasoline and diesel fuel?
- How much coal, natural gas, or petroleum is used to generate a kilowatthour of electricity?
- What is the outlook for home heating fuel prices this winter?
- Does EIA have data on U.S. oil refineries and their locations?
- Does EIA have information on U.S. natural gas and oil pipelines?
- How much oil is consumed in the United States?
- How much oil is used to make plastic?
- What types and amounts of energy are produced in each state?
- How much shale (tight) oil is produced in the United States?
- What is the difference between crude oil, petroleum products, and petroleum?
- What are petroleum products, and what is petroleum used for?
- How many gallons of gasoline and diesel fuel are made from one barrel of oil?
- Does EIA project energy production, consumption, or prices for individual states?
- What is U.S. electricity generation by energy source?
- Does EIA have data on the type or quality of crude oil?
- What countries are the top producers and consumers of oil?
- How much oil consumed by the United States comes from foreign countries?
- Does EIA have county-level energy production data?
- What other motor gasoline consumption data sources are available?
- Does EIA have information on unplanned outages of U.S. infrastructures?
- How much of the crude oil produced in the United States is consumed in the United States?
- Does the world have enough oil to meet our future needs?
- How much petroleum does the United States import and export?
- What is the difference in product supplied among EIA publications?
- How do we calculate product supplied?